The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution

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Perhaps more responsible than anyone for the revolution in the way we eat, cook, and think about food, Alice Waters has “single-handedly chang[ed] the American palate” according to the New York Times. Her simple but inventive dishes focus on a passion for flavor and a reverence for locally produced, seasonal foods.

With an essential repertoire of timeless, approachable recipes chosen to enhance and showcase great ingredients, The Art of Simple Food isan indispensable resource for home cooks. Here you will find Alice’s philosophy on everything from stocking your kitchen, to mastering fundamentals and preparing delicious, seasonal inspired meals all year long. Always true to her philosophy that a perfect meal is one that’s balanced in texture, color, and flavor, Waters helps us embrace the seasons’ bounty and make the best choices when selecting ingredients. Fill your market basket with pristine produce, healthful grains, and responsibly raised meat, poultry, and seafood, then embark on a voyage of culinary rediscovery that reminds us that the most gratifying dish is often the least complex.

• ISBN13: 9780307336798
• Condition: New
• Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Do we really need more recipes for beef stew, polenta, and ratatouille? If they're the work of famed restaurateur and "food activist" Alice Waters, undoubtedly. In The Art of Simple Food, Waters offers 200-plus recipes for these and other simple but savory dishes, like Spicy Cauliflower Soup, Fava Bean Purée, and Braised Chicken Legs, as well as dessert formulas for the likes of Nectarine and Blueberry Crisp and Tangerine Ice. In addition, readers learn (or become reacquainted with) the Waters mantra: eat locally and sustainably; eat seasonally; shop at farmers markets. These are the rules by which she approaches food and cooking, and hopes we will too. Organized largely by techniques, the book is a kind of primer, designed to free readers from recipe reliance.

Some readers may look askance at advice that they search out sources for locally produced food, for example, given the everyday exigencies of shopping and getting meals on the table. Yet it is precisely the need to "remake" our relationship to food that, Waters contends, determines the ultimate success of all our cooking and dining, not to mention our health and that of the planet. This relatively small book has a large message, and good everyday recipes to back it up. --Arthur Boehm

Customer Reviews ::

Art of Simple Food - glasgal -
The title, the art of keeping it simple intrigued me. Back to basics, no fussing, good healthy food. And the author was of highest reputation.
I was not disappointed as I scanned through the contents and read bits from chapters that caught my eye. Good ideas almost made me jump up and empty my kitchen cupboards of unnecessary gadgets and start over, but I resisted and read further and found that I could integrate a few of my treasures into a new format.
Life is so fast these days. This book is an island of calm informative suggestions on how to feed your family and friends healthy, superb food.
Thanks Alice, for taking the time to write this great book.

Dr. Atkins' Quick & Easy New Diet Cookbook: Companion to Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution

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Great taste in no time -- the Atkins way!

Based on the bestselling Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution, the recipes in this completely revised edition will give you a quick and easy way to eat healthy, whether you're just beginning to slim down or want to maintain your goal weight and enhance your health and well-being. This new edition includes 50 new recipes, updated favorites, and new nutritional data -- including Net Carbs -- making it easier than ever to follow the controlled carbohydrate lifestyle pioneered by Dr. Atkins. Here's just a sampling of the satisfying, super-quick recipes you'll find inside:

• Energizing breakfasts like Almond French Toast and Ricotta and Leek Frittatas

• Elegant appetizers such as Curried Stuffed Eggs and Smoked Salmon Rolls

• Family-friendly main dishes like Pork Chops with Orange and Rosemary, Hazelnut-and-Pepper-Crusted Swordfish, and Sautéed Zucchini with Nutmeg

• Decadent desserts such as Chocolate Buttercream and Lemon-Poppy Pound Cake

Plus many, many more mouthwatering main and side dishes, snacks, and treats!

Designed for healthy eating and simple preparation, the low carb recipes in this must-have new edition of a perennially favorite cookbook will help you produce delectable meals that will be the key to a whole new you.

• ISBN13: 9780743266468
• Condition: New
• Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Customer Reviews ::

Seems to work for weight loss; maintenance may be another story - Steven A. Peterson - Hershey, PA (Born in Kewanee, IL)
I tried the Atkins' diet once and lost twenty pounds--and promptly gained half of that back. Good for weight loss. Not so sure about maintenance. I saw a lot of friends try it and lose a lot of weight and then some time later, most of them were status quo ante. . . . Still, this volume provides a good set of Atkins' recipes and is a fine resource if one wishes to try the diet. . . .

The Preface to the 2004 edition notes that the Atkins' diet had, in essence, gone "mainstream." It also noted Dr. Robert Atkins' passing in 2003. A central part of this diet is the low carbohydrate dictum. Helpful to any reader will be the listing of acceptable foods at the end of the volume (pages 209-215).

Since this is a cookbook, though, the key question is how good the recipes are. Let's take a look at a sampling of recipes and get a sense of what is at stake here. First, an example of an Atkins' diet soup, French Onion Soup Gratinee (I love a messy French onion soup!). Ingredients: olive oil, onions, reduced sodium chicken broth, dry sherry, Worcestershire sauce, bouillon, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, and Swiss cheese grated. Begin by browning onions in olive oil; stir on chicken broth, sherry, Worcestershire sauce, and bouillon cube. Bring to boil and then reduce to simmer. Add parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper and simmer a bit longer. Move to ovenproof serving bowls, put Swiss cheese on top and broil until cheese is brown and melted. This differs from the standard recipe that I use, but it is doable.

One example of a nice easy salad recipe is Greek Salad. Mix together vinegar, salt, and pepper as dressing. Add tomatoes (cut up), cucumbers, feta cheese, onion, olives, and toss well. Top with the dressing and enjoy!

A protein source? Scallops Meuniere. Heat olive oil until hot--but not smoking. Add scallops until they're golden brown. Transfer browned scallops to a dish to be kept warm. Then, add butter to the pan. Stir in lemon juice, dry white wine, parsley and shake the pan. Then, season with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over scallops and eat the dish.

And so on. Again, for the most part, the recipes are quite doable. I have tried a handful and found the recipes to produce good tasting food. I have not yet committed to returning to the Atkins' diet--but I will take advantage of this volume as a cookbook, whatever the case!